Apparatus for recording and reproducing data having a single recording and reproducing unit and a plurality of detachable interfaces for connecting to different types of computer ports

ABSTRACT

A recording and/or reproducing system has a recording and/or reproducing section and an interfacing unit. The recording and/or reproducing section records and/or reproduces digital data or digital signals on or from a loaded recording medium, such as a magnetic tape. The interfacing unit has a first input/output section for exchanging data and/or signals with an external equipment and a second input/output section for exchanging data and/or signals with the recording and/or reproducing section. The interfacing unit converts data and/or signals supplied from the recording/reproducing section through the second input/output section and sends the converted data and/or signals through the first input/output section to the external information equipment piece, while converting data and/or signals supplied through the first input/output section from the external information equipment piece and sending the converted data and/or signals through the second input/output section to the recording and/or reproducing section.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a recording and/or reproducing systemand a data backup system. More particularly, the present inventionrelates to a recording and/or reproducing system employing a recordingmedium and a data backup system employing a recording medium.

2. Background of the Invention

In general, there is known a data backup system employing a data backupdevice called a data streamer, for example, in which data backup for ahost computer is done using a magnetic tape as a recording medium.

On the other hand, standardization of IC memory cards is proceeding andIC memory cards of the credit card size, termed a PC card, conforming tothe standard design statements of the Personal Computer Memory CardInternational Association (PCMCIA), an organization for standardizationof U.S.A., and the Japan Electronic Industry Development Association(JEIDA), has become popularized. The market for portable informationcommunication equipment or personal computers having an operating system(OS) having a control function of the PC cards is rapidly expanding.

The PC card control software, pursuant to the standard design statementsof PCMCIA/JEIDA, executes the following processing operations (i) to(iv) for resource control:

(i) the operation of advising a device driver of the fact that a PC cardhas been introduced into a PC card slot;

(ii) the operation of reading out the attribute information of the cardon request from the configuration software of a device driver;

(iii) the operation of allocating the level of interrupt, area of I/Ospace and memory space of a personal computer required for operations;with the operation of allocation being executed as dynamicallyresponsive to the state of the utilization of the system resource of thePC card or other pieces of equipment; and

(iv) writing a value specified by the software for configuration in aregister in a PC card or a PC card controller LSI.

With the conventional data backup device, since the device is bulky andconsumes a significant amount of electric power, it has been impossibleto maintain portability when the device is connected to a lap-toppersonal computer or a portable information communication equipment. Onthe other hand, it is required of a user to provide for separatesoftware installment when a tape backup device is connected to apersonal computer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide arecording and/or reproducing system which resolves the above-mentionedproblems.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a data backupsystem which resolves the above-mentioned problems.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a tape-shapedrecording medium which resolves the above-mentioned problems.

In one aspect, the present invention provides a recording and/orreproducing system having a recording and/or reproducing section forrecording and/or reproducing digital data or digital signals on or froma loaded tape-shaped recording medium, and an interfacing unit having afirst input/output section for exchanging data and/or signals with anexternal information equipment and a second input/output section forexchanging data and/or signals with the recording and/or reproducingsection. The interfacing unit converts data and/or signals supplied fromthe recording and/or reproducing section through the second input/outputsection and routes the converted data and/or signals through the firstinput/output section to the external information equipment. Therecording and/or reproducing section also converts data and/or signalssupplied from the external information equipment through the firstinput/output section and routes the converted data and/or signalsthrough the second input/output section to the recording and/orreproducing section.

In another aspect, the present invention provides a data backup systemhaving a host system with a slot for having loaded therein an operatingsystem having a control functions of controlling a personal computercard inserted into the slot, and a recording and/or reproducing systemhaving a recording and/or reproducing section and an interfacing unit.The recording and/or reproducing section records and/or reproducesdigital data or digital signals on or from a tape-shaped recordingmedium loaded therein. The interfacing unit has a first input/outputsection for exchanging data and/or signals with the host system and asecond input/output section for exchanging data and/or signals with therecording and/or reproducing section. The interfacing unit converts dataand/or signals supplied from the recording and/or reproducing sectionthrough the second input/output section and routes the converted dataand/or signals through the first input/output section to the hostsystem. The recording and/or reproducing section also converts dataand/or signals supplied from the host system through the firstinput/output section and routes the converted data and/or signalsthrough the second input/output section to the recording and/orreproducing section. Data backup of the host system is realized by therecording and/or reproducing system inserted into position in the slotin the host system.

In still another aspect, the present invention provides a recordingand/or reproducing system having a recording and/or reproducing sectionfor recording and/or reproducing digital data on or from a loadedtape-shaped recording medium. The recording and/or reproducing sectionhas a terminal section through which data is entered to or outputted, adata interfacing unit having a first connecting portion for connectionto an external information equipment and a second connecting portion forconnection to the terminal portion of the recording and/or reproducingsection. The interfacing unit receives and sends out data and/or signalssupplied from the external information equipment through the firstconnecting portion and receives and sends out data and/or signals fromor to the recording and/or reproducing section through the secondconnecting portion. The interfacing unit converts data and/or signalssupplied from the recording and/or reproducing section through thesecond connecting portion and routes the converted data and/or signalsthrough the first connecting portion to the external informationequipment. The recording and/or reproducing section also converts dataand/or signals supplied from the external information equipment throughthe first connecting portion and routes the converted data and/orsignals through the second connecting portion to the recording and/orreproducing section.

In still another aspect, the present invention provides a data backupsystem including a host system with a slot for having loaded therein anoperating system having a control functions of controlling a personalcomputer card inserted into the slot, and a recording and/or reproducingsystem having a recording and/or reproducing section and an interfacingunit. The recording and/or reproducing section records and/or reproducesdigital data or digital signals on a tape-shaped recording medium loadedtherein. The interfacing unit has a first input/output section forexchanging data and/or signals with the host system and a secondinput/output section for exchanging data and/or signals with therecording and/or reproducing section. The interfacing unit converts dataand/or signals supplied from the recording and/or reproducing sectionthrough the second input/output section and routes the converted dataand/or signals through the first input/output section to the hostsystem. The recording and/or reproducing section also converts dataand/or signals supplied from the host system through the firstinput/output section and routes the converted data and/or signalsthrough the second input/output section to the recording and/orreproducing section. Data backup of the host system is achieved by therecording and/or reproducing system inserted into position in the slotin the host system.

In yet another aspect, the present invention provides a tape-shapedrecording medium in which digital data is recorded during forwardtransporting of the recording medium in plural azimuth tracks formed inone of two areas thereof divided along the longitudinal direction and inwhich digital data is recorded during reverse transporting of therecording medium in plural azimuth tracks formed in the other of the twoareas. The recording medium has subcode data arrayed at a mid portion ofeach track, a plurality of control data arrayed on both sides of thesubcode data, data areas arrayed on the outer sides of the control data,and discrimination data recorded in the control data. The discriminationdata specifies the digital data recorded in the data areas.

With the recording and/or reproducing system of the present invention,data can be recorded on or reproduced from the recording medium throughan interfacing unit for an external information equipment, such as acomputer. Thus the recording and/or reproducing system may be employedfor enabling reliable data backup for the external information equipmenteven if the data is of a large volume.

On the other hand, with the tape-shaped recording medium of the presentinvention, suitable signal processing may be realized by discriminatingtypes of data read out from the recording medium even if the data ofdifferent sorts is recorded in a commingled state on the recordingmedium.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a system configuration according to the presentinvention.

FIGS. 2a and 2b illustrate a recording format on a tape according to thepresent invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a driving unit and an interfacingunit according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the state of a system connectionaccording to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is another block diagram showing the state of a system connectionaccording to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a further block diagram showing the state of a systemconnection according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 7a and 7b illustrate a recording format.

FIG. 8 illustrates a CLT area in the recording format.

FIG. 9 illustrates a control word CW₀ of a CL area in the recordingformat.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a driving unit and an interfacingunit according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing the state of a system connectionaccording to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is another block diagram showing the state of a systemconnection according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a further block diagram showing the state of a systemconnection according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing the state in which a host systemand a data backup system in the data backup system in a third embodimentof the present invention are separated from each other.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing the state in which a data backupsystem is loaded on a host system in the data backup system in the thirdembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a plan view showing a data backup system.

FIG. 17 is a side view showing the data backup system.

FIG. 18 is a perspective view showing the data backup system.

FIG. 19 is a block diagram showing essential portions of an electricalconfiguration of the data backup system.

FIG. 20 is a block diagram showing essential portions of an electricalconfiguration of the host system.

FIG. 21 is a plan view showing a modified embodiment of the data backupsystem.

FIG. 22 is a plan view showing another modified embodiment of the databackup system.

FIG. 23 is a plan view showing a further modified embodiment of the databackup system.

FIG. 24 is a perspective view showing the data backup device shown inFIG. 23.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 9, a first embodiment of the present inventionwill be explained in detail. Also, referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 7 to 13,a second embodiment of the present invention will be explained. In theseembodiments, an ultra-small-sized tape cassette for digital audio isemployed as a recording medium.

In this ultra-small-sized cassette of 30.0×21.5×5.0 mm³ in size isaccommodated a magnetic tape having a tape width of 2.5 mm. A rotaryhead is introduced through a front side opening in the tape cassettewhich is closed by a rotatable lid. On this magnetic tape of theultra-small-sized tape cassette are recorded digital audio datacompressed by 12-bit kinked-line compression at a sampling frequency of32 kHz with 17 quantizing bits. The digital audio signals or digitaldata recorded on the magnetic tape are read out from the magnetic tapeby rotating the rotary head at twice the number of revolutions. Thedigital audio signals or digital data read out from the magnetic tape istemporarily stored in a memory and re-arrayed on the memory in a correctsequence so as to be outputted as playback signals.

The first embodiment is directed to a configuration in which data forcomputer use may be recorded and/or reproduced using anultra-small-sized tape cassette, while the second embodiment is directedto a configuration in which not only the data for computer use but alsoother data, such as audio or video data, may be recorded and/orreproduced in a state of being commingled with the data for computeruse. The data for computer use means many different kinds of datadepending on the sort of information equipment or applications and maybe enumerated by files, pictures, letters, programs and speech. The datafor computer use, or the computer use data, herein signifies dataexchanged with the information equipment. The other data present in acommingled state with the computer use data signifies data exchangedwith audio or video equipment.

FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a recording and/or reproducing system,in which a reference numeral 1 denotes an ultra-small-sized tapecassette as a recording medium as previously explained, and a referencenumeral 10 denotes a driving unit for recording and/or reproduction onor from the tape cassette 1. The driving unit 10 is associated withinterfacing units 30A, 30B and 30C.

The interfacing units 30A, 30B and 30C are connected to a particularinterfacing system adopted in information equipment, such as personalcomputers. For example, the interfacing units 30A, 30B and 30Ccorrespond to a parallel port interface, a small computer systeminterface (SCSI) and to a PC Memory Card International Association(PCMCIA) interface, respectively.

The drive unit 10 can be mounted on and dismounted from each of theinterfacing units 30A to 30C.

That is, with the system of the present embodiment, data from anexternal information equipment can be recorded by the drive unit 10 onthe cassette tape 1 or the data reproduced from the tape cassette 1 canbe supplied to the external information equipment by connecting aconnector 32A of the interfacing unit 30A to the information equipmentof the parallel port interfacing system and by loading the driving unit10 on the interfacing unit 30A, respectively.

Similarly, by employing the interfacing unit 32B for the informationequipment of the SCSI system, data can be recorded from the informationequipment on the tape cassette 1 and data reproduced from the tapecassette 1 can be supplied to the information equipment.

In addition, for the information equipment of the PCMCIA interfacingsystem, for interfacing with respect to the so-called memory card, theinterfacing unit 32C is employed for recording data from the informationequipment on the tape cassette 1 or the data reproduced from the tapecassette 1 can be supplied from the tape cassette 1 to the informationequipment.

In these cases, signals are recorded on a tape 2 within the tapecassette 1 as shown, for example, in FIG. 2a. The tape cassette 1 hassides A/B and has its recording region divided into two portions alongthe tape width. FIG. 2a shows the state of recording various computerdata supplied from the personal computer or the like. Meanwhile, thetape cassette 1 is occasionally employed in a recording apparatus for ausual audio application. FIG. 2a shows that audio data recorded thereinis present in a mixed state with the computer data.

FIG. 3 shows the drive unit 10 and the interfacing units 30 (30A to 30C)on an enlarged scale.

In the driving unit 10, a reference numeral 11 denotes a lid forloading/unloading the tape cassette 1. The lid 11 has a window 12through which the user may recognize whether or not the tape cassette 1is loaded in position in the driving unit 10. The lid 11 is opened bythrusting an ejection key 13.

A connector 14 is arranged in a lower part of the drive unit 10, asshown in FIG. 1.

The interfacing unit 30 has a connector 31 on its upper side. Theconnector 31 is connected to the connector 14 of the drive unit 10.

A reference numeral 32 (32A to 32C) denotes a connector (connectors) forconnecting the interfacing unit 30 (30A to 30C) to the externalinformation equipment.

A reference numeral 33 denotes an LED which is turned on in response tothe recording/reproducing operation in the driving unit 10.

A battery 50 such as a size AA dry cell is loaded in the interfacingunit 30. An external DC jack may also be provided for supplying thecurrent from a commercial AC source by a DC adapter, not shown.

FIG. 4 is a system block diagram in case the connected interfacing unitis the interfacing unit 30A.

A reference numeral 60 denotes a host computer which in this case is apiece of equipment constructed in accordance with the parallelinterfacing system.

The tape cassette is loaded on the driving unit 10 for enablingrecording/reproduction. A reference numeral 15 denotes a head drum onthe cylindrical peripheral surface of which is mounted a magnetic head.The head drum 15 is intruded into the casing of the tape cassette 1, asshown, so as to be placed at a re-set angular position on its peripheralsurface. If the head drum 15 is rotated with tape transportation or tapetravel, the magnetic head on the periphery thereof traces a track on thedrum in accordance with the so-called helical scan system.

Reference numerals 16, 17 and 18 denote a recording/reproducing system,an interfacing unit and a system controller, respectively.

In the interfacing unit 30A, the numeral 34A denotes a conversioncontrol unit for interfacing between the host computer 60 and thedriving unit 10.

A parallel port interface correction is established between theconversion control unit 34A and the host computer 60 through a connector32A, as shown in FIG. 4.

With the driving unit 10 being loaded on the interfacing unit 30A andthe connector 14 being connected to the connector 31, the exchange ofdata and various signals is done between the conversion control unit 34Aand the interfacing unit 17 in accordance with the recording/reproducingformat of the above-mentioned ultra-small-sized tape cassette.

With the above-described arrangement, the following operation isrealized.

If it is desired to record data in the host computer 60 on the tapecassette 1, the interfacing unit 30A controls the recording by thedriving unit 10, at the same time as it executes transmission andreception of data D₀ to D₇ and control signals from the host computer60.

A source voltage V_(D) is supplied from the interfacing unit 30A to thedriving unit 10.

The interfacing unit 30A also outputs a wake-up signal for starting thesystem controller 18.

The interfacing unit 30A also outputs a mechanical control signal(control) for the driving unit 10 for causing the system controller 18to execute pre-set operations, such as loading, tape transportation(tape travel) or rotation of the head drum.

During recording/reproduction of the driving unit 10, the errorinformation or the status information is outputted from the driving unit10 to the interfacing unit 30A.

The interfacing unit 30A converts the data D₀ to D₇, supplied theretofrom the host computer 60, to the data configuration of theabove-mentioned ultra-small-sized tape cassette and sends the resultingdata to the driving unit 10. The drive unit 10 supplies the datasupplied thereto through the recording/reproducing circuit 16 to a headof the head drum 15 for magnetically recording the data on the tape 2.

This records the computer use data on the tape cassette 1 as shown inFIG. 2a so as to be used as, e.g., data backup.

An identification code, as explained later, is appended to the controlsignal CTL as control information in order to permit data recorded onthe tape 2 to be identified on reproduction to be the computer use data.

If it is desired to read data recorded on the tape cassette 1 into thehost computer 60, the interfacing unit 30A controls not only thetransmission and reception of the control signals between it and thehost computer 60 but also the playback operation in the driving unit 10.

That is, the interfacing unit 30A outputs the mechanical control signal(control) to the driving unit 10 in order to cause the system controller18 to execute pre-set operations such as loading, tape travel orrotation of the head drum, for executing the playback operation. Theinterfacing unit 30A also receives the playback data (data) and theerror information (error) and converts the playback data into data ofthe computer interface configuration (D₀ to D₇) which is outputted tothe host computer 60.

This causes the data recorded on the tape cassette 1 to be supplied tothe host computer 60.

FIG. 5 is a system block diagram in case the connected interfacing unitis the interfacing unit 30B. In this case, the host computer 60, as anexternal equipment piece is a part of of the SCSI system. The conversioncontrol unit 34B exchanges data and control signals with the hostcomputer 60 through the connector 32B in accordance with the SCSIsystem. An interfacing connection similar to that of FIG. 4 isestablished between the conversion controlling unit 34B and the drivingunit 10.

In this case, data from the host computer 60 of the SCSI system can berecorded by the drive unit 10 on the tape cassette 1 by the interfacingoperation performed by the conversion control unit 34B, while datareproduced from the tape cassette 1 can be supplied to the host computer60.

FIG. 6 is a system block diagram in case the connected interfacing unitis the interfacing unit 30C.

In this case, the host computer 60, as an external equipment piece, is apart of of the PCMCIA system. The conversion control unit 34C exchangesdata and control signals with the host computer 60 through the connector32C in accordance with the SCSI system. An interfacing connectionsimilar to that of FIG. 4 is established between the conversioncontrolling unit 34C and the driving unit 10, as in the case of FIGS. 4or 5.

In this case, data from the host computer 60 of the PCMCIA system can berecorded by the drive unit 10 on the tape cassette 1 by the interfacingoperation performed by the conversion control unit 34B, while datareproduced from the tape cassette 1 can be supplied to the host computer60.

That is, with the embodiment illustrated, the computer use data can berecorded on or reproduced from the tape cassette 1 with the aid of thedrive unit 10 by interchanging the interfacing units to be useddepending upon the interfacing configuration of a variety of externalinformation equipment. On the other hand, data recorded on the tapecassette 1 is all of the proper format for recording on theabove-mentioned ultra-small-sized tape cassette, and is converted intothe pre-set interfacing configuration by one of the interfacing units30A to 30C, so that the data recorded on the tape can be read into avariety of external information equipment.

The interfacing unit 30 may be of any interfacing configuration otherthan the above-mentioned three interfacing configurations.

Meanwhile, when the computer data is recorded on the tape 2 of the tapecassette 1, the control information for enabling the computer data to bedistingushed as computer data instead of audio data at the time ofreproduction is appended to the computer data. This will now beexplained.

The recording format on the tape cassette 1 is shown in FIGS. 7a and 7b.As shown in FIG. 7a, there are formed tracks on the sides A and B inaccordance with the helical scan system. Each track is constructed asshown in FIG. 7b.

Each track is made up of 108 blocks, each block being made up of 288bits.

An inner double recording field is arrayed in the 4th block up to the12th block, totalling 9 blocks, while an outer double recording field isprovided in seven of the last 12 blocks. The recording current is turnedon and off during the recording in these double recording blocks. The 92blocks between these fields represent a recording field.

In the recording field, there are provided two 40-block data areas, two4-block CTL areas and two 1-block inter-block gap (IBG) areas. Of these,the center two blocks represent an auxiliary area for recording thesubcode.

The data area is an area for recording actual audio or video data.Control data for this data is recorded as the control information in theCTL area.

From the control information recorded in the CTL area, the type of datarecorded, such as audio data, computer data, audio data or video data bythe second embodiment as later explained, can be determined duringreproduction.

FIG. 8 shows the construction of one block of the CTL area. This 1-blockdata is recorded four times in the 4-block CTL area. Since there are twoCTL areas in each track, the same CTL data is recorded eight times pertrack.

Referring to FIG. 8, 11-bit synchronization signals and 13-bit addresssignals are first arrayed in the CTL block. Then, control words CW₀ toCW₁₉, each being 12 bit words, are recorded. Finally, the CRCC codes (12bits×2) are recorded. Of the control words CW₀ to CW₁₉, which are avariety of recorded information data for a track T under consideration,the control words CW₄ to CW₁₇ are undefined. Consequently, the controlword CW₄, for example, may be used for recording data kinddiscrimination codes. Thus it is possible for the interfacing unit 30 todiscriminate kinds of actually reproduced data based upon the CTL datasupplied thereto as the playback data during reproduction.

The control word CW₀ may also be utilized.

The control word CW₀ has its recording contents set by a so-calledpaging based upon the tracks, as shown in FIG. 9. Each page isincremented by each track and is defined as being turned with a periodequal to 2^(n). The data shown in FIG. 9 is recorded in each page. Ifthe 4-bit information, recorded as the mode ID, is "0001", a definitionis made that 2-channel audio data has been recorded in the track. Itsuffices if the definition is made so that, with the use of these fourbits, a certain value represents computer data.

By enabling data kinds to be discriminated by the CTL data, it ispossible for the interfacing unit 30 to carry out processing so that,when playback data is taken from the drive unit, only the computer datais supplied to the host computer.

A second embodiment of the present invention is now explained. Thepresent second embodiment is the same as the previous embodiment as tothe interfacing corrections with the host computer 60. However, it isadditionally possible for the interfacing unit 30 to exchange audio orvideo data with external audio or video equipment. In the case of a tapecassette 1, a variety of data, such as audio data, video data, includingstill and moving pictures, and computer data, are recorded in a mixedstate, as shown in FIG. 20.

As the interfacing unit 30, the following configuration is added to thecomponents similar to those of the first embodiment, as long as theappearance is concerned, as shown in FIG. 10.

A reference numeral 35 denotes an audio (speech) output volume knob. Areference numeral 36 indicates an audio input terminal through which amicrophone, for example, is connected and audio signals from themicrophone are input. A reference numeral 37 denotes an audio outputterminal operating as, for example, a headphone terminal to which theplayback audio signal from the tape cassette 1 is output. A referencenumeral 38 denotes a video input terminal to which moving and stillvideo signals from a video signal source are input. A reference numeral39 indicates a video output terminal to which is connected e.g., amonitoring device for displaying moving or still pictures reproducedfrom the tape cassette 1.

FIG. 11 is a system block diagram showing a case in which theinterfacing unit connected is the interfacing unit 30A associated withthe host computer 60 of the parallel interfacing system.

In addition to the components shown in FIG. 4, the interfacing unit 30Aincludes an audio encoder/decoder unit 40 and a video encoder/decoderunit 41, as shown in FIG. 11. There is also provided a sound volumeadjustment unit 35a actuated by the audio output volume knob 35.

The audio signal entered at the audio input terminal 36 is converted bythe audio encoder/decoder unit 40 into digital data and encoded intodata configuration adapted to the format explained in connection withFIGS. 7a to 9 so as to be supplied to a conversion control unit 34A. Theaudio signal is then supplied from the conversion control unit 34A tothe driving unit 10 so as to be recorded on the tape cassette 1.

The audio data reproduced from the tape cassette 1 is supplied from theconversion control unit 34A to the audio encoder/decoder unit 40 so asto be processed with decoding, conversion to analog signals andamplification. The audio data is then outputted through the sound volumeadjustment unit 35 at the audio output terminal 37.

The video signals entered at the video input terminal 38 are encoded bythe video encoder/decoder unit 41 into data configuration adapted to theNT format as the above-mentioned tape format before being supplied tothe conversion control unit 34A. The video signals are then suppliedfrom the conversion control unit 34A to the drive unit 10 so as to berecorded on the tape cassette 1.

The video data reproduced from the tape cassette 1 is supplied from theconversion control unit 34A to the video encoder/decoder unit 41 fordecoding before being outputted at the video output terminal 39.

When sending recording data to the driving unit 10, the conversioncontrol unit 34A appends discrimination data in accordance with theabove-described system as CTL data to be included in the recording data.That is, the control unit 34A causes a code specifying if the recordingdata is the computer data, audio data or video data (still or movingvideo data) to be recorded as e.g., the control word CW₄ of the CTLblock.

Thus, even if various kinds of data exist in a commingled state on thetape cassette 1, as shown in FIG. 2b, it is possible for the interfacingunit 30 to perform appropriate processing at the time of reproduction.That is, if the CTL data specifies that playback data reproduced duringreproduction is computer data, the interfacing unit 30 transmits thedata by parallel port interface to the host computer 60. If the CTL dataindicates that the playback data is audio data, the interfacing unit 30transmits the data to the audio encoder/decoder unit 40. If the CTL dataindicates that the playback data is video data, the interfacing unit 30transmits the data to the video encoder/decoder unit 41.

FIGS. 12 and 13 shows the configuration in which the interfacing unitconnected is the interfacing unit 30B conforming to the SCSI system andthe interfacing unit 30C conforming to the PCMCIA interfacing system,respectively. The audio input/output or the video input/output aresimilar to those shown in FIG. 11 and hence the description is not madefor simplicity.

Thus, in the present embodiment, the tape cassette 1 may be employed fordata backup of the information euipment, and as in the case of the firstembodiment, while the tape cassette 1 is employed as a multi-mediacommunication medium capable of accommodating a wide variety of data,such as computer data, audio data or video data.

In the present second embodiment, the transfer rate of 85 kbytes/secondof the recording format employing the tape cassette 1 is insufficientfor recording and/or reproduction of moving pictures of the videosignals. Thus it is preferred to use the signal compression/expansionsystem adopted in MPEG-2 or LPEG in the video encoder/decoder unit 41.

If it is desired to further improve the picture quality of the movingpicture, it may be contemplated to raise the data transfer rate at thestage of recording or reproducing data on or from a tape of the tapecassette 1. It may thus be envisioned to use a doubled number ofrevolutions of the head drum.

In the above-described embodiments, the drive unit 10 is configured tobe connected to the interfacing unit 30. However, the drive unit may beequipped with an actuating unit, a power source or the like, andemployed as an independent unit.

Various changes may naturally be made of the construction of variouscomponent parts, such as the driving unit 10 or the interfacing unit 30.

Next, a data backup device and a data backup system according to a thirdembodiment of the present invention will be explained in detail.

The data backup system according to the third embodiment is made up of ahost system 110 and a data backup device 120, as shown in FIG. 14.

The host system 110 may be a portable information communicationequipment piece or a lap-top type personal computer equipped with anoperating system (OS) having a PC card control function run by the PCcard control software conforming to the PCMCIA/JEIDA standard designstatements. There is provided a PC card slot 111 for insertion of a PCcard. The host system 110 includes a main body 110a and a cover 110crotatably mounted with respect to the main body 110a. The main body 110ais rectangular-shaped and has on its one surface a plurality ofactuating keys 110b while having on its lateral surface theabove-mentioned PC card slot 111. A display 110d composed of e.g.,liquid crystal display elements, is provided on an inner surface of thecover 110c, that is on the surface thereof facing the actuating keys110b in the closed state of the actuating keys 110b. The host system 110is loaded in position by introducing the data backup device 120 into thePC card slot 111, as shown in FIG. 15.

The data backup device 120 includes a PC card unit 121 of the PC cardsize conforming to the PCMCIA standard design statements and a cassettedeck unit 122 unified with the PC card unit 121, as shown in FIGS. 16 to18.

The data backup device 120 has its cassette deck unit 122 protruded fromthe main body of the host system 110 when the PC card unit 121 isinserted in position into the PC card slot 111 of the host system 110,as shown in FIG. 15. A cassette lid 123 is pivotally mounted at an upperwall section of the cassette deck unit 122 of the data backup device120. On the front wall section of the data backup device 120 are mounteda light-emitting section 124 for displaying the operating state by itslighted state, and an ejection button 125. On actuation of the ejectionbutton 125, the cassette lid 123 is rotated in a direction of beingopened from the device 120 for enabling the exchange of tape cassettes.

The data backup device 120 is configured to effect non-trackingrecording/reproduction of digital data on or from a magnetic tape of 2.5mm in tape width accommodated in the tape cassette 1 by a rotary head14.8 mm in diameter provided in a rotary drum 126. The data backupdevice 120 has in its PC card unit 121 a digital signal processingcircuit (DSP) 127, as a main electric circuit of the recording andreproducing system for non-tracking data processing of digital data, aDRAM 128, a DEC/ENC circuit 129, a recording/reproducing amplifier 130,a motor driving circuit 131 and a control computer 132, as shown in FIG.19. The PC card unit 121 has a memory 133, such as a flash memory of anon-volatile RAM, an interface for a PC card, constituted by a gatearray, an error processing unit (ECC) 135 and a bus handler 136 for theDSP 127. The PC card interface 134 is electrically connected to the hostsystem 110 through a 168-pin connector 137 provided on a short side ofthe device 120. The driving voltages V_(CC), V_(PP1) and V_(PP2) aresupplied to the data backup device 120 through the pin connector 137.

A device driver for the data backup device 120 is pre-loaded on thememory 133 of the PC card unit 121. The device driver may be re-writtendepending on the kind of the host system 110.

The PCMCIA/JEIDA provides, as physical design statements, the card size,connector size, environmental conditions for the card or the connector,while providing, as card attribute information design statements, thememory device information, version information, format information orthe configuration information. The PCMCIA/JEIDA also provides, asphysical design statements, the pin array, electrical interfacing,memory read/write operation, I/O function or signal timing. The databackup device 120 functions as a device conforming to these PCMCIA/JEIDAstandard design statements.

The host system 110 has a PC card controller 112, a computer 113, anoperating system (OS) for card/socket service or configuration software,and a hard disk drive (HDD) 115, as shown in FIG. 20. If, with the PCcard unit 121 inserted into the PC card slot 111 and with the databackup device 120 loaded in position, the power is turned on, the PCcard controller 112 of the host system 110 advises the OS 114 of theeffect that the PC card has been inserted into the PC card slot 111. TheOS 114 is instructed by the PC card controller 112 to search for thecard attribute information and the downloading of the device driver. ThePC card controller 112 downloads the device driver from the memory 133of the PC card controller 112 to the OS 114. Based upon the schedulemanagement present in the downloaded device driver, the OS 114 causesdata of the HDD 115 to be periodically transferred to the data backupdevice 120. The data backup device 120 causes data periodicallytransferred from the HDD 115 to be recorded on the magnetic tape. Thisenables periodic backup of the data from the HDD 115 by the data backupdevice 120.

By providing protrusions 138 on the sidewall sections of the cassettedeck unit 122 operating as finger support as shown in FIG. 21, the databackup device 120 can be easily mounted on and dismounted from the hostsystem 110.

The data backup device 120 may also be configured so as to be dismountedfrom the host system 110 by a link mechanism, as shown in FIG. 22. Thatis, actuating arms 149 are provided which may be rotated about the pivot143 as the center of rotation by thrusting the protrusions 141 on thesidewall sections of the cassette deck unit 122 against the force of thetorsion coil springs 142. By rotational actuation of the actuating arms144, the casing of the host system 110 is thrust by the foremost partsof the actuating arms 144 for dismounting of the data backup device 120from the host system 110.

With the present second embodiment of the data backup device 120, thecassette lid 123 is pivotally mounted on the upper wall section of thecassette deck unit 122, In addition, the light emitting section 124indicating the actuated state by light and the ejection button 125 arearranged on the front wall section so that the tape cassette 40 will bemounted horizontally on the cassette deck unit 122. In addition to suchconstruction, the cassette lid 123 may be pivotally mounted on the frontwall section of the cassette deck unit 122 and the light-emittingsection 124 indicating the actuated state by light and the ejectionbutton 125 may be provided on the upper wall section so that the tapecassette 1 will be vertically loaded on the cassette deck unit 122, asshown in FIGS. 23 and 24.

Although the tape cassette accommodating a magnetic tape therein is usedas a recording medium in the above-described embodiments, a disc-shapedrecording medium may also be employed as a recording medium. If thedisc-shaped recording medium is used as a recording medium, theinformation specifying the kinds of data recorded on the recordingmedium can be recorded in the control area of the recording control datafor the supervising of data recorded on the optical recording medium, asin the previously described embodiments.

Various modifications may also be made, in addition to theabove-described embodiments, without departing from the scope of thepresent invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A recording and/or reproducing systemcomprising:recording and/or reproducing means for recording and/orreproducing digital data on or from a tape-shaped recording mediumloaded therein, and for generating and receiving recording/reproducingcontrol signals; and interfacing means comprising:a first input/output(I/O) means for exchanging digital data and control signals with anexternal information equipment, wherein said digital data and controlsignals are formatted in one of the following interface standards: acomputer parallel port interface standard, a small computer systeminterface (SCSI) standard, or a Personal Computer Memory CardInternational Association (PCMCIA) interface standard, a second I/Omeans for exchanging digital data and said recording/reproducing controlsignals with said recording and/or reproducing means, wherein saiddigital data and said recording/reproducing control signals areformatted in a recording and/or reproducing interface standard, whereinsaid interfacing means converts the digital data and saidrecording/reproducing control signals supplied by said recording and/orreproducing means through said second I/O means into the one of thefollowing interface standards: the computer parallel port interfacestandard, the SCSI standard, or the PCMCIA interface standard and saidinterfacing means routes the converted digital data and control signalsthrough said first I/O means to said external information equipment, andwherein said interfacing means also converts the digital data andcontrol signals supplied from said external information equipmentthrough said first I/O means into the recording and/or reproducinginterface standard and said interface means routes the converted digitaldata and recording/reproducing control signals through said second I/Omeans to said recording and/or reproducing means, thereby controllingsaid recording and/or reproducing means.
 2. The recording and/orreproducing system according to claim 1, wherein said recording and/orreproducing means includes a first connecting section connected to saidinterfacing means, and wherein said interfacing means includes a secondconnecting section detachably connected to said first connectingsection.
 3. The recording and/or reproducing system according to claim1, wherein said recording and/or reproducing means records dataspecifying types of recorded data along with data converted by saidinterfacing means, and wherein said recorded data is supplied throughsaid second input/output means from said external information equipmentand converted by said interfacing means.
 4. The recording and/orreproducing system according to claim 3, wherein said interfacing meansfurther includes encoding/decoding means for encoding video informationsupplied to said interfacing means and decoding video data suppliedthrough said second input/output means by said recording and/orreproducing means.
 5. The recording and/or reproducing system accordingto claim 3, wherein said interfacing means further includesencoding/decoding means for encoding audio information supplied to saidinterfacing means and decoding audio data supplied through said secondinput/output means by said recording and/or reproducing means.
 6. Therecording and/or reproducing system according to claim 1, furtherincluding a casing having a flat-plate-shaped section at one end and ahousing section for housing said recording and/or reproducing means,wherein said flat-plate-shaped section has a connecting portion forconnecting to said external information equipment.
 7. The recordingand/or reproducing system according to claim 6, wherein said interfacingmeans is housed in said flat-plate-shaped section of said casing.
 8. Therecording and/or reproducing system according to claim 6, wherein adriving power source voltage is supplied to said system through saidconnecting portion when said system is connected to said externalinformation equipment.
 9. The recording and/or reproducing systemaccording to claim 6, wherein said interfacing means further includes amemory for storing a software program for said external informationequipment.
 10. A recording and/or reproducing systemcomprising:recording and/or reproducing means for recording and/orreproducing digital data on or from a tape-shaped recording mediumloaded therein, said recording and/or reproducing means having aterminal section through which data are input and output; andinterfacing means comprising:a first connecting means for connection toan external information equipment, a second connecting means forconnection to said terminal section of said recording and/or reproducingmeans, wherein said interfacing means receives and transmits datasupplied from said external information equipment through said firstconnection means, wherein said data are formatted in one of thefollowing interface standards: a computer parallel port interfacestandard, a small computer system interface (SCSI) standard, or aPersonal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA)interface standard, wherein said interfacing means also receives andtransmits data from or to said recording and/or reproducing meansthrough said second connecting means, wherein said data are formatted ina recording and/or reproducing interface standard, and wherein saidinterfacing means converts data supplied from said recording and/orreproducing means through said second connecting means into the one ofthe following interface standards: the computer parallel port interfacestandard, the SCSI standard, or the PCMCIA interface standard and saidinterfacing means routes the converted data through said firstconnecting means to said external information equipment, and whereinsaid interfacing means also converts data supplied from said externalinformation equipment through said first connecting means into therecording and/or reproducing interface standard and said interface meansroutes the converted data through said second connecting means to saidrecording and/or reproducing means.
 11. The recording and/or reproducingsystem according to claim 10, wherein said recording and/or reproducingmeans further comprises connecting means detachably connected to saidsecond connecting means.
 12. The recording and/or reproducing systemaccording to claim 10, wherein said recording and/or reproducing meansrecords data specifying kinds of recorded data along with data convertedby said interfacing means, and wherein the recorded data is datasupplied through said first connecting means from said externalinformation equipment and converted by said interfacing means.
 13. Therecording and/or reproducing system according to claim 10, wherein saidinterfacing means further comprises encoding/decoding means for encodingvideo information supplied to said interfacing means and decoding videodata supplied by said recording and/or reproducing means.
 14. Therecording and/or reproducing system according to claim 10, wherein saidinterfacing means further comprises encoding/decoding means for encodingaudio information supplied to said interfacing means and decoding audiodata supplied by said recording and/or reproducing means.